15 replies to this topic

[ryanlogsdon]

Hi Everyone,

 

A special Hello to everyone who's helped me on my way in the past 2 years here.

 

@nicklouse gave the good suggestion to start a project thread on my car, so here we go. 

 

This is Eleanor, an elegant name for an elegant, older lady.  She's my 62 Morris Mini-Minor.  I bought her in Chester, England in December, 2017.  She lived her whole life in Northern Ireland, where the previous owner, a retired professor from Ulster, believes she was the property of the government (possibly a mail vehicle), then owned by 2 more people before coming to the mother of the man I bought her from.  Their family called her Minnie after an actress on an old, British variety show, and the car lived on their farm amongst the chickens.

 

 

When I saw my car in person for the first time, I requested to be the passenger because driving on the opposite side of the road was a little too much for me.  But the real reason? I hadn't learned how to drive stick yet.

 

By the time I picked her up at the nearby port the following February, I'd watched a few YouTube videos on driving stick.  I practiced shifting while driving in circles for 2 or so minutes at the port, and that was that.  We hit the road.

 

I hope you guys stick around to watch Eleanor become the restored, California cruiser that she was meant to be.  I've got my next set of parts in the mail, so some updates and maybe a few build videos will come soon.

 

Thanks!

Ryan & Eleanor

[Mini-Mad-Craig]

Awesome, awesome! Keep us updated with progress. Nice to see California minis. I consider the guys at Heritage Garage in Costa Mesa, family. There’s something about minis in California. I did some cool runs with Mini Owners of America Los Angeles blasting around in the sunshine and a Mini meet west in 2015 I think! Lots of friendly people and nice minis

Edited by Mini-Mad-Craig, 14 September 2020 - 02:40 AM.

[exuptoy]

I was expecting some two tone grey stripped mustang wannabe
Lovely car. Can’t wait to see what you do. Hopefully not too much. These early vehicles should be cosseted and kept fairly original, but it’s your car so carry on.

[Curley]

Did you see what the people behind the 'real' Eleanor did to B is for Build? Might want ask the mods to change the name of the thread  

 

Seriously though, I look forward to seeing more of your Mini

Edited by Curley, 22 September 2020 - 07:02 PM.

[exuptoy]

Yeah, Minnie now seems a LOT more apt!

[ryanlogsdon]

Thanks for that! I've been wondering where there's a local, trustworthy mechanic!  I'm in Pasadena, and the OC seems as local as I could ask for :)

 

 I consider the guys at Heritage Garage in Costa Mesa, family. 

[ryanlogsdon]

Next job to do: update the turn signal switch from an Mk2 to the original Mk1 (I need to see the green glow of the Mk1's turn signal light!!), but that's going to pose some problems.

 

Part: https://www.7ent.com...-mk1-31945.html

 

Problems:

 

1) the horn's wiring went haywire a few weeks back, and a ghost would blast the horn from the Mk2 switch whenever it darted in and out of the car; on the Mk2 turn signal switch, I found that the horn's wire is purple with black. 

 

I've got a temporary flush-mount, push-button horn switch for now, and I'll connect one side to ground, and the other to the purple/black wire.  But I don't know where the Mk1 horn was originally activated; I've read it was in the center of the steering wheel, so I bought this part https://www.7ent.com...6943morris.html however, there's no mechanics in there. It's just the black disk and the red logo insert.  There's an empty cavity in my steering column behind that insert, and there's more than enough room to route some wires through.  Any insight is appreciated!! I'm missing something big. 

 

 

2) what to do about the high beams?  On my original thread, Moke Spider mentioned the Mk2 switch "also put the Beam change switch at their finger tips," and I'm wondering where was this for the Mk1 since it's not in the turn signal switch?

 

As always, thanks everyone!!!

 

Ryan & Eleanor

Edited by ryanlogsdon, 12 October 2020 - 01:51 AM.

[johnR]

The high beam switch was a floor mounted foot operated one. The horn is more complicated - have you looked in a manual or online for a diagram? from memory there's a spring loaded connector/wire that earths on the column to activate the horn. The column needs earthing to the body - and if you use the Mk1 indicator switch you need to scrape paint off the column to earth the switch clamp to the column or the green light won't work..

[mab01uk]

As you have an early Mk1 Mini you may also be interested in joining the Mk1 Forum below:-

http://mk1-forum.net/index.php

 

Also the Mk1 Performance website may be of interest for original 1960's Mk1 Mini documents, history and information:-

http://mk1-performan...k/mk1_index.htm

 

 

 

[Ethel]

The horn's not that complicated,

 

Mk1: Fuse box > purple > horn > purple/black > horn switch > black > earth.

 

Later ones had a common supply for the headlight flash & horn: purple > switch > purple/plack > horn > black > earth.

[ryanlogsdon]

Thanks guys!

 

By the way, I love the idea of a foot operated high beam.  it sounds so foreign... i'll get cracking!

[sonscar]

Foot operated main beam was standard on lots of UK cars in the past.I find it charming and almost never use main beam as the foot switch seems to hide itself when needed.Steve.

[ryanlogsdon]

Hi Everyone,

 

Eleanor was going to get a nice screw-on oil filter conversion kit installed this weekend, but she decided against it.

 

Enjoy the hi-jinx over here...

 

https://www.theminif...rsion-problems/

 

Thanks,
Ryan

[surfblue]

Hi, nice project. Its not a northern ireland licence plate it has. Wonder if its registered in mainland UK before coming to live in ni, or re registered after leaving?

[ryanlogsdon]

Hi, nice project. Its not a northern ireland licence plate it has. Wonder if its registered in mainland UK before coming to live in ni, or re registered after leaving?

 

Eagle eyes!

 

I'm wondering the same now.  

 

From what I've come across, the plate is from the sales year, 1962, because the Suffix System started in 1963.  https://www.wewantan...-number-plates/